Chapter 246
The meal was all about simple, gentle flavors–easy on the stomach and nourishing.
Noreen had brought a bottle of wine, planning to have a proper talk with Dylan over drinks,
But Dylan stopped her. “Let’s skip the wine today. Soup’s enough.”
“Alright,” she agreed without protest.
She honestly didn’t feel like drinking, but after years in the business world, she was just used to the routine–alcohol often felt like a required accessory to any negotiation.
Noreen didn’t even get a sip of water before she started bringing up the funding issue.
“Have some soup first,” Dylan insisted. “The chicken broth here is excellent. Try it.”
The soup was rich and comforting; after just a small bowl, she felt warmth spreading through her whole body.
Dylan was like a one–man sales team, enthusiastically recommending one dish after another until she was completely full.
Strangely, he barely touched his own food.
Only after Noreen had eaten did Dylan finally get down to business. “So, what’s this dinner really about?” he asked.
She was straightforward–she needed funding.
But she kept it vague, not mentioning any specific projects. After all, nothing was set in stone yet, and she didn’t have full confidence herself.
Even so, Dylan agreed to invest.
But the maximum he could offer was under fifty million.
That was as much as he could possibly manage.
Noreen understood Dylan’s situation. His life wasn’t as glamorous as it looked from the outside. The power struggles at Omniva Group never stopped, and there were always board members stirring up trouble, refusing to accept his authority.
She was genuinely touched. “Thank you, Dylan.”
He paused before replying, “You haven’t called me by my first name in a long time.”
“Well, things are different now,” Noreen said, always one to respect boundaries. “You have a different role. I shouldn’t be so casual.”
Since they were business partners now, it was best to keep things professional–she didn’t want to make things awkward for him.
As they left the restaurant, Jude and Bianca arrived just moments later.
Getting out of the car, Jude spotted Dylan’s vehicle and muttered, “Isn’t that Dylan’s car? I thought he was out of town.”
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Chapter 246
“He is,” Bianca replied, a little too quickly. “I called him this morning–he said he had to leave later this afternoon.”
“I guess I must’ve been mistaken.” Jude didn’t dwell on it.
Inside, the manager greeted Jude warmly. “Mr. Jude, you just missed Mr. Dylan! Why didn’t you two make plans together?”
Jude hesitated. “Dylan was just here?”
“Yes, he just had lunch with a Ms. Gilmore. They left a moment ago.”
“Noreen?” Jude asked, his tone unreadable.
“That’s right, that’s the name. She made the reservation herself.”
At that, Jude’s expression darkened. Bianca’s face didn’t look much better; her hand clenched so tightly at her side that her knuckles turned white.
On Monday, Noreen and Carman went to Padgett Novak’s office.
The hotline platform was entering its testing phase, and Carman was there to keep an eye on the data.
Padgett handed Noreen a folder.
She flipped through it and realized it was information on the Port Redevelopment Project.
“I noticed you were interested, so I gathered some materials for you. Hope it helps,” Padgett said, as warm and accommodating as ever.
“You have no idea how much this helps!”
This sort of thing wasn’t something money could just buy.
Not only that, but Padgett had organized everything so clearly that even someone new to the field could understand it at a glance.
“You’re really thorough,” Noreen said, genuinely impressed.
Padgett smiled. “I studied this in college, so I know a bit more than most. If there’s anything you’re unsure about, just ask me anytime.”
“That’s a relief! Don’t blame me if I end up pestering you with questions.”
Noreen felt like a castaway who’d finally spotted a lighthouse after drifting at sea for ages.
“I won’t mind,” Padgett promised.
Off to the side, Carman watched the exchange, unable to hide a frown.
…A new rival?
14:20